Amy Adrion

Amy Adrion is an Assistant Professor in the School of Film and Animation within the College of Art and Design at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where she teaches film production courses and mentors students through capstone projects and graduate theses.

Her educational background:

• BA in Literature and Theology from Georgetown University
• MFA in Film Directing from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Adrion's research centers on documentary film and women's representation in cinema, exemplified by her Sundance-premiered feature "HALF THE PICTURE" (2018), alongside narrative filmmaking and children's literacy media through digital storytelling. Her work actively bridges academic practice with industry engagement, focusing on social equity and educational innovation.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a dual trajectory: socially conscious documentary work examining systemic barriers in Hollywood, and educational children's media that promotes literacy through the Emmy-nominated Storyline Online series. This combination demonstrates her commitment to using film as both an analytical tool for industry critique and an accessible medium for community impact.

Adrion's accolades include:

• #WhatNext Award at Sundance: London for "HALF THE PICTURE"
• Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Lighthouse Film Festival
• Impact Award at the Through Women’s Eyes Film Festival
• Directors Guild of America (DGA) Student Film Award for "SHOEGAZER"

As an educator, she supervises undergraduate capstones and graduate theses while leading collaborative RIT filmmaking teams that produced seven Storyline Online episodes with students and alumni. Her projects have secured distribution through Gravitas Ventures and broadcasting partnerships with STARZ, PBS, and MTV, though specific grant details remain unpublicized.

Adrion currently develops multiple projects including a coming-of-age basketball drama, a documentary on Colorado cowgirls, and the feminist Western "PICANTE" featuring rebellious Old West sex workers, continuing her focus on underrepresented narratives.